Second Grade Learns About the Brain

Lotspeich second graders welcomed pediatric neurosurgeon and parent Dr. Jesse Skoch as part of their Brain Talk class — a bimonthly, 30-minute class specifically focused on better understanding how brains work to connect thoughts, feelings, and choices. 

Dr. Skoch, parent of current second grader Audrey, also came in a few years ago when his older daughter was in second grade.

“It’s special to have him back,” Assistant head of Lotspeich Danielle Necessary said. “Students submitted their questions ahead of time, and Dr. Skoch graciously tailored his presentation to their questions. The kids were incredibly engaged and asked even more thoughtful, curious questions.”

Some of the questions included:

• Why is the brain pink and wrinkly?
• Why is it located in the head versus another part of the body?
• How does the brain help us when we walk, write, or read?
• What happens in our brain when we get a brain freeze?
• Can the brain learn to help us be better friends?

“A big idea we come back to all the time is being a ‘decider’ instead of just a ‘doer,’ and giving kids tools to slow down and respond thoughtfully,” Necessary said. “Over the course of the year, students learn about different parts of the brain through characters like Myg (the amygdala) and The Professor (the prefrontal cortex), and they build a set of ‘taming tools’ like mindfulness, movement, social connection, and gratitude to help with self-regulation.”